Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1887-12-08

our own country, and the duties now
levied upon foreign goods and products
are called protection to these home manu-
facturers, because they render it possible
for those of our people who are nlanufac-
turers, to make these taxed articles and
sell them for q price equal to that de-
manded for the imported goods that have
paid customs duty. So it happens that
while comparatively d few use the i'm
ported articles, millions of our people
who never use and
Never Saw any of the Foreign Products,
purchase and use things of the same kind
made in this country, and pay therefor
nearly or quite the same changed price
which the duty adds to the imported arti-
cles. Those who buy imports pay the
duty charged thereon into the public
treasury, but the great majority of our
citizens who buy domestic articles Of the
same class, pay sum at least approx
mately equal to this duty to the home
manufacturer. This reference to the
operation of our tariff laws is not made
by way of instruction but in order that
we may be constantly reminded of the
manner in which they impose a burden
! upon those who consume domestic pro-
! ducts as well as those who consume i'm
| ported articles, and thus increase q tax
upon alour people.
1t is not proposed to entirely relieve the
country of this taxation. 1t must be ex-
| tensively continued as the source of the
governments income, and in a readjust-
lnent of our tariff the interests of Ameri-
can labor engaged in manufactures
should be carefully considered, as well as
the preservation Of our manufacturers.
| T. 1aI 1>xyo ny
other name, but relief from the hardships
and dangers of our present tariff laws
! should be devised with especial precau-
tion against imperiling the existence of
our manufacturing interests. But this
existence should not mean a condition
t which, without regard to the public well
| fare, or a national eXingency, must always
| insure the realization of immense profits
instead of moderately profitable returns.
AS the volume aud adversity of our ma
tional activities increase, new recruits
are added to those who desire a continual
ton of the advantages which they con-
ceive the present system of tariff taxation
directly affords them. So stubbornly
have all efforts to reform the present
condition been resisted by those of our
fellow citizens thus engaged that they
cam hardly complain of the suspicion, er-
tertained to certain extent, that there
| exists an
Organized Combination all Along the Line
to maintain their advantage. We are in
the midst of centennial celebrations,
and with becoming pride we rejoice
in American skill and inge-
nuity, in American energy and
enterprise, and in the wonderful natural
advantages and resources developed by a
century's national growth. Yet when an
attempt is made to justify scheme
which permits q tax to be laid upon
every consumer in the land for the ben
| eft Of our manufacturers, quite beyond a
reasonable demand for governmental re-
gard, it suits the purposes of advocacy to
call our manufactures infant industries,
still needing the highest and greatest de-
gree Of favor and fostering care that can
be wrung from federal legislation.
1t is also said that the increase in the
price of domestic manufacture resulting
| from the present tariff is necessary in
order that higher wages may be paid to
| our workingmen employed in manufact-
,ories, than are paid for what is called
pauper labor of Europe. All will &C.
knowledge the force of an argument
which involves the welfare and liberal
compensation of our laboring people.
Our labor is honorable in the eyes of
every American citizen; rs it lays the
foundatiOn of our development and
progress, it is entitled, without af
fection or hypocrisy to the
utmost regard. The standard
of 0lr laborer's life should rot be meas
ured Ivy that of any other country less
favored, and they are entitled to their full
share of all our advantages. By the last
census il is made to appear that of the
Il. .392, ,O99 of our population engaged in
all kinds Of industries, 1910, 493 are en-
ployed in agriculture, 4,074, 23S in profess
si0nal and personal service G, 0A, ,657 Of
whom are domestic servants and 1abOfers;
while $40, ,25G are employed in trade and
transportation and 1887. 112 are classed
as employed in manufacturing and min
ing. For present purposes, however, tho
last number should be considerably re~
duced. Without attempting to enum~
crate all it will be conceded
that there should be deducted from
these which it INCLUDES 375, l43 carpent
ers and joiners, 285, 4Ol milliners, dress,
makers and seemstresses, 17?, 726 black,
smiths, 1873, 756 tailors and tailoresses,
1O2, Alb masons, 1924 butchers, Al, 800
bakers, 22,OS3 plasterers, and 1891 en-
gagged in manufacturing agricultural
Implements IN the aggre.
gate to l,2l4,O23, leaving 1923, ,OS9
persons employed in such man
ufacturing industries as are
Claimed to be Benefited by High Tariff.
To these the appeal is made to save their
employment and maintain their wages
by resisting a change. There should be
no disposition to answer such sugges-
tions by the allegation that they are in
minority among those who labor, and
therefore should forego an advantage in
the interest of low prices for the majority;
their compensation, as may be affected
by the operation of tariff laws, should at
all times be scrupulously kept in view;
and yet with slight reflection they will
not overlook the fact that they are con-
sumers with the rest; that they, too, have |
their own wants and those of their fam
lilies to supply from their earnings, and |
that the price Of the necessaries of life, |
as we'll as the amount of their wages,
will regulate the measure Of their well |
fare anc comfort.
But the reduction of taxation de- |
manded should be SO measured as not to
necessitate or Justify either the loss Of
employment by the workingman nor the
lessening of his wages; and the profits
still remaining to the manufacturer. after
a necessary readjustment, should furnish
no excuse for the sacrifice of the interests \